Bertrand Traore says it’s a privilege to return to the Premier League after joining Sunderland on transfer deadline day.
The Burkina Faso international and national team captain, who has already played four games for the Black Cats, says he’s delighted to be back in what he calls “the best league in the world.”
He told Telecom Asia:
In football, you never say never. I’m 30 now, but when the opportunity came, I had to take it. I’m here to give my best and help the team get the most out of this season.
Traore first came through English football as a youngster, signing for Chelsea from Auxerre in 2009. He was once tipped to lead the Chelsea attack in the future.
That didn’t stop him from excelling elsewhere, however, as he went on to play for clubs such as Ajax, Lyon, and Aston Villa, among others.
Reflecting on his career, he said:
Football has its ups and downs, but when you look at my journey, you can see I’ve been very fortunate to experience what I have. The most important thing now is not to look back, but to help Sunderland achieve our goals this season.
As of the time of writing, Traoré is yet to score for Sunderland, but he was instrumental in their recent win over Chelsea, where Chemsdine Talbi scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner.
The victory means Sunderland currently sit fourth in the league table, an impressive position and the highest among all the newly promoted sides this season.
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris praised the team’s start to the campaign, calling it “excellent” and saying they are “in dreamland.”
He told the BBC:
The emotions around the club so far are excellent. It’s impressive. We’ve found a real togetherness not only within the squad but across the entire club, including the fans. They deserve this. When the energy is like that, you can create many positives. For us, the target remains the same.
